Setting a nice table for a
dining occasion can be as formal or informal as you wish to make it. There are
a few things that should be taken into consideration when you plan a table
setting.

1.Will I be setting a formal or
informal dining table?

2.Do I have all of the appropriate
silver or flatware and dishes to accommodate the type of table setting I
desire?

3.What kind of centerpiece will I be
using?

4.What kind of candles will I be
using?

5.What kind of linens will I be
using?

Formal or Informal

A true formal dinner will
require several types of dishes and silverware. Chargers may or may not be
used. Several courses of small amounts each will be served and removed along
with several wines. Unless you plan to be bouncing up and down during the
dinner, you will need to have serving people and additional help in the kitchen
to do last minute cooking and serving of the food for each course. The help
needs to be schooled in formal entertaining.

China and Silverware

Decide on a menu and then do an
inventory of your china and silverware. Do you have all of the appropriate
pieces? If not, you may either decide to change the menu or purchase
additional pieces to accommodate the menu of choice. If you have determined a
date, begin by making certain you have made arrangements to have the additional
help you will need for kitchen and serving. A catering service might be the
answer to all of your needs. They will prepare the meal, set the table and
serve the meal. In many cases they even clean up after the meal. Sometimes
they even provide some serving pieces, but usually it is up to the hostess to
provide china and silverware.

The Table Centerpiece

This can be flowers, a piece
of sculpture, a bowl with floating candles, fall leaves or spring vines,
arrangements of fruits, vegetables or both. Just keep it low so that a tall
floral arrangement doesn't prohibit conversation across the table.

Candles for the Table

Keep it simple because as the
flowers can block the view of the person across the table, so can the candles
if you use a large candelabra. There are so many beautiful candles that you
can do wonders. A small cluster of round or square candles next to the
centerpiece would be very nice. An individual candle in front of each diner would
also give some indirect light. I still like a medium taper in a small holder
on either side of the centerpiece.

Table Linens

If your dining table is wood
finish, you must protect it with table pads made for the size of your table.
If that is the case, you will be using a full tablecloth to cover the table
pads. For a formal dinner, white is usually used, but for special events you
certainly can use pastels or subtle patterned cloths. If the event is less
formal or is a breakfast or luncheon, bring in color to compliment your dishes
and silverware. You can even tailor the mats or tablecloth, dishes, flatware
and glassware to the type of cuisine you are serving. For instance, if the
dinner is to be a meal of Asian cuisine, you might want to have a plain
tablecloth with bamboo mats, silverware with bamboo handles, dishes and
glassware with an Oriental flavor. Napkins should also complement the décor.

Exactly what is a formal
dinner?

A formal dinner would have just
the table setting with the napkin laid onto the plate. Photos. The service begins with the appetizer Photo followed by both clear and thick soups. Photos. Then there is an alternation of courses, each
with its accompanying vegetable. They begin with lighter fare and progress on
to hefty joints and whole fish. Next the classic entrée is served and consists
of timbales, seafoods and variety meats served in rich pastes and with delicate
sauces and elegant trifles. Photos. Then
will come the salad unless you choose to serve this as I did, prior to the entrée.
Photos. This would consist of seasoned
cooked vegetable as opposed to greens, which would be relegated to garnish
only. After this course the cheese selection would arrive. Finally the hot or
cold sweets would be served followed by both hot and cold fruits.

I have shown a formal table
setting with a couple of changes to accommodate a less formal dinner. I did
use chargers, but you certainly may eliminate
them. I moved the salad fork to the left as it is often served prior to the
entrée. You can pretty well follow the picture, but feel free to make the
changes to conform to your own version of a formal setting. I did not use a fish
knife or fork, but you could use them if you are serving a fish course. I did
use the individual salt and pepper shakers. It is best not to clutter the
table with too much silverware, but rather bring additional pieces as the
course is served. According to my Joy of Cooking, a formal table setting would
also include an ashtray, cigarettes and matches. Well, in this day and age,
that would be taboo.

Now between each course,
dishes have to be removed and there is an order in which this should be done.
Plates should be removed from the right of the diner and the next course
presented from the left. The server should serve the offering by holding the
plate on a folded napkin on the palm of the left hand and steadied with the
right. When the table is cleared prior to dessert, the server can use a silent
butler or a clean folded napkin and brushes the crumbs onto a plate.

If you wish to use finger
bowls, they would be placed in front of each guest. The setting would consist
of the dessert plate, a doily and a bowl partially filled with water and a
floating lemon slice, fragrant herb or a flower. The dessert fork and spoon
would rest on the dessert plate also and are then placed on either side of this
setting by the guest. Photo. The guest removes
the doily and bowl and places it in the upper left side of his place setting,
opposite the water glass. Photos. Then
the dessert is served. The exception to the finger bowl being served with
dessert is if fruit is served after dessert. Then it will accompany the fruit
course in the same manner

My Formal/Informal Dinner

When I have what I refer to
as a formal dinner, I try to set the table as I have in the picture because it
accommodates our lifestyle and that of most middle class Americans. An
appetizer would await the guests at the table, so the napkin would be placed to
the left of the forks. Photo.

Forks are placed to the left
of the plate in the order served and since I serve the salad prior to the
entrée it will appear first, followed by the fish fork if a fish course is
served and then the main-course fork. Next will be the charger(if one is used), topped by the dinner plate. On top of
the dinner plate will be the liner plate on which the first course will be
served. The silver to the right of the plate will consist of the main-course
knife (cutting edge toward the plate), fish knife (if fish is served) or in my
case a steak knife (cutting edge toward the plate). Next will be the soupspoon
and a seafood fork if seafood is served as the first course. The seafood fork
is the exception to the "forks on the left rule." A fruit cocktail
spoon might be to the left of the seafood fork if fruit replaces the soup, in
which case the soupspoon would be omitted.

Above the main-course knife
will be the water goblet, to the right and slightly higher will be the white
wine goblet and below it and ever so slightly to the right will be the red wine
goblet. I have used bread and butter plates in the upper left-hand corner with
a butter knife across the plate. You will also see individual salt and pepper
cellars above each plate. At a larger dinner party, it is inconvenient to keep
passing salt and pepper to each guest.

Soup may be served from the
kitchen or from a soup tureen at the table. Salads would be served from the
kitchen and would be made up of fresh crisp greens. Breads or rolls would be
served hot to each guest on the bread and butter plate. I prefer to pass
butter pats or balls around the table, but again you could have them already on
the bread and butter plate. I usually do the serving, but sometimes my
granddaughters and daughter-in-law will assist.

The head of the table might
serve the entrée or more likely it would be passed family style so that each
person might choose the amount he or she desires. Sometimes the host serves
only the meat and the accompanying dishes are passed around the table. An
alternative would be for the hostess to remove the chargers
with the dinner plate when it is time to serve the entrée. Warmed plates would
replace the cold dinner plates and the meals dished up in the kitchen and
served to the guest. Then the table is pretty well cleared except for water
goblet. Finally the dessert is served and the silverware for this course is
brought with the dish.

Coffee, tea or demitasse
could be served during or after dessert and the accompanying spoon for that
beverage will rest on the saucer. The coffee, tea or demitasse would be poured
from the right and cream and sugar offered on a tray from the left or you could
place one or two sets at the table so the guests could pass them around. When
this course is complete an after-dinner port, brandy or liquor might be served.

The Luncheon (or very
Informal) Dinner Table Setting

For a luncheon or informal
dinner your table setting is much easier. Photos. From the top, left to right, the bread and butter plate and individual
butter knife are in the top left corner with the knife across the plate. In
the center are the dessert fork and spoon facing opposite directions with the
spoon at the top, although you may bring this silver with the dessert service.
To the right will be the water goblet. The wine goblet will be just to the
right of the water.

From left to right on the bottom,
first comes the napkin assuming the first course is in place. If you do not
plan to serve a first course, the napkin should be placed across the dinner
plate. Forks are always to the left of the dinner plate and placed in the
order of the service. In my picture, the salad fork is first and then the
main-course fork because that is how I serve my courses. You may reverse the
order if salad is served after the main course.

Next and in the center is the
main-course plate, topped by the liner plate for the first course. You may use
chargers under the plates if desired. The first course would then be placed on
the liner plate. When removing the first course, you would remove the liner
plate with the first course on the plate. To the right will be the main-course
knife (cutting edge toward the plate) and the soup spoons (if soup is served).
The coffee spoon is next to the soupspoon, or it may be brought with the
coffee, if desired. The seafood fork is the exception to forks on the left and
would only be served when the first course is seafood. The last spoon would
only be used if fruit replaces soup for the second course.

I do like using the small
individual salt and pepper cellars in front of each guest. It isn't necessary
if you are only serving 2, 3 or 4, but with a larger group it is much nicer.

The Breakfast Table
Setting

This is much easier and yet
can be very impressive. Photos.
In
the upper left-hand corner place the bread and butter plate with the individual
butter knife across the center of the plate. For breakfast I like to have the
butterballs or pats in place on the bread and butter plate. To the right of
the plate will be the water glass or goblet with the juice glass or goblet to
the right of the water glass.

On the bottom, from left to
right, the dinner fork on the far left follows the napkin. In the center will
be the plate topped by the cereal dish. To the right will be the dinner knife
(cutting edge toward the plate) cereal spoon (cream soupspoon) and coffee or teaspoon.
To the far right and between the top and bottom row will be the coffee or tea
cup and saucer.

However you entertain, it
should be comfortable for your guests and yourself. Fresh and properly prepared
food is most important. If the hot food is hot and the cold food is properly
chilled and there are no long pauses between courses, you have accomplished the
next most important part. If you can partially prepare some or part of the
recipes, do this the day before. Make sure you have tested the recipes at
least twice prior to entertaining. Prepare as much of the garnishing as you
can and set your table except for a floral centerpiece, which should be
absolutely fresh the day before also. Soft music is nice to accompany your
meal so check over your CD's and pick music that will not overcome conversation
at the table. Pick and lay out your clothing you will be wearing. The more
you can do ahead, the easier it will be on the day of the dinner or luncheon.
Enjoy entertaining. It should be fun and give you a sense of accomplishment.

Sometime soon we will be
adding a buffet table setting and a tea service setting.